Vehicle shipping device



Aug. 16, 1932.

M. E. STALLSMITH VEHICLE SHIPPING DEVICE Filed July .9, 1928 w z J/z/Zwzfi Patented Aug. 16, 1932 V UNITED STA E 1 time 'PATEN'l" c rr es MARION E. STALLSMITI-I, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, essrelvon To GENERAL Morons coaronn'rron, or nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

i venionnisnirrrne nnvrcn Applieation filed July a, was. Serial No. 291,337.

This invention relates to a device used 'in connection with motor vehicles while they are being shipped in freight cars.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device which may be usedfor holding the springs of the vehicles in compressed position with respect to the vehicle frame, in order that the overall height of the vehicle may be lessened. In order to be able to load as many vehicles as possible in a freight car for shipment, some of the vehicles are sometimes mounted in such a position that their front ends are raised up as high as possible and another vehicle is placed under the up-raised front end of the first vehicle. Incertain types of freight cars where the roof height is under average, it is necessary to compress the springs on the vehiclewhich is mounted in inclined position,

' thus raising the front axle and wheels toward the frame, so that the height from thebottom of the axle or wheels to the top of the radiator will be lessened, in order that a proper amount of clearance between the freight car roof and the radiator of the inclined vehicle may be obtained.

A further object of the device is to prevent movement of the vehicle chassis and body relative to the wheels and axles during transit, since the freight car is very apt to receive severe shocks during shipment and if the vehicle springs are not tied down with respect to the frame, these shocks are aptto cause serious injury to parts of the vehicle.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent upon referring to the specifications and accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a freight car, showing my improved device applied to one of the vehicles.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the front portion of a vehicle, on a larger scale, showing in detail the manner of assembling the device.

Figure 3 is a detailed perspective view of the device.

The reference numeral indicates a freight car within which vehicles are loaded for shipment. In order to get as many vehicles as possible in the freight car, some the freight car.

I i Inorder to hold position, I have provided a rod 26 which is best shown in Fig. 3. The upper end of this rod is offset as at 28. and is adapted to be of the vehicles are very often'mounted in an inclined position such asis shown in Fig. -1. The front axle is supported in a raised position'by means of a support 12, and another vehicle is located partlyunderthe l p-raised front of the first vehicle. It is necessary-to locate-the vehicles as close to eachother as possiblein order to beable to get them into Since there will necessarily be some movement of the vehicle relative to the freight car, caused by shocks encountered by the latter during transit, a reasonable amount ofspace must be left between the top of the body and the cariroof as well as between the top of the radiator and car roof, and also between the bottom of the front 'wheels and axle of-the inclined vehicleand '18, the upper end ofwhich is inserted in an opening in the vehicle frame 22. It will be readily seen that by pressing downwardly on theouter end of the bar 14, the latter will fulcrum about the pointwherethe link 18' is pivoted'to it and will forcethe front axle 16 upwardly, thereby causing the vehicle spring '24 to. assume a substantially. straight or compressed position with respect tothe frame,

andthus reduce the distance between the bottom of the front wheels and the topof the radiator.-

the springs in compressed inserted through an opening provided in the vehicle frame 22. The lower end of the rod 26 is formed into a ring 32. In order to assemble the rod 26, the oflset-end 28. is first passed through the opening 30 and the axle 16 is forced upwardly by the bar 14.- until the spring 24 almost touches the frame 22. The lower end ofthe rod 26isthen placed in such a position that as the axle 16 is permitted to move downwardly, the ring 32 will slip over a nut 34:, threaded on a spring clip 36, which connects the vehicle spring 24 with the axle 16. A block 38 is then secured to the upper side of the spring M. by means of a wire 40, for the purpose ofpreventing a s'uflicient upward movement of the spring 24, such as might be cau-sed by shocks during transit, as would permit the ring-32 to accidental-1y slip over the nut 34. 1' i g It will be readily seen that since thespring' 24 normally tends to assume it's originai curved position, that ring 32-will bepositively held in place around the 111 534 and that there is no possibility of-the rod-26 becomingac'cidentally disengaged" during shipment. Obviously the rod 26 is very cheap to manufactuie, andivery simple to assemble or remove.

lVhen it is desired to rem-ovethe rod 26, be-

fore placing the vehicle in service, the block 38 i is firstremoved and next the bar 14 is again used to force the axle Q16 and the spring 24 said spring to said axle, and a bar having its upper end ofiset and adapted to fit into said opening, the lower end of said bar being bent into a ring adapted to fit over said bolt for the purpose of holding said spring in compressed position relative to said frame.

2. In combination, a vehicle, frame. having an opening therein, an axle, asprin g connecting said axle to said frame, a bolt securing said spring to said axle, a bar havingits upper end offset and adapted to fit into said opening, the lower end of said bar being bent into aring' adapted to fit over said bolt for the purpose of holding saidspring in compressed position relative to said frame, and a v blr ick secured between said frame and said spring after the latter is in compressed position for the purposeiof limiting movement of said spring toward said frame.

upwardly s'uliiciently far to permit the ring Another advantage of this device is'that it 32 to be slipped off of the nut 34, after which Y the 'ofiset end 28 may be removed from the Y opening in the frame.

ofv Wheel blocks 42'whi'ch-are secured to the I I car floor 44. r If the chassis were-not prevented from moving relative to the axles, there wouldbe a constant movement of the chassis relative to the axles during transit. This is In the drawing I have shown the device r.

used in connection with the "front'springs of 1 the vehicle which is in inclined position, but

it may be used in connection With either the front orzrear springs, and maybe'used on a vehicle which is mounted in a horizontal positionon the car floor if necessary, either for the purpose ofreducingthe height of the vehicle or for preventing. movement "of the chassis relative to the axles, or both;

It is thought from the foregoingftaken in connection with theaccompanyi ng drawing, 7

that" the construction and operation of the device Wiljl be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that various changes in size, shape,

and proportion and detailsof construction may be made without departing: from the spirit and scope of the appended claims;

Iclaim I 1. In combination, a vehicle frame having i an opening therein, a-n axle, a springrconnect' ing .sa-id axle to "said frame, a bolt- 'secuming 

